COLUMBIA, Mo. ? Despite rainy weather on Thursday and Friday, the sun shined on day three of the 2013 Southeastern Conference Outdoor Championships and so did the Mississippi State track and field team, qualifying four athletes to event finals.

"We have a goal of competing with the best, and to do that you have to qualify for the finals," MSU coach Steve Dudley said. "Our athletes composed themselves, competed with great effort and in the end, they found a way to secure spots for Sunday."

Sophomore Erica Bougard continued her momentum from yesterday's success, leaping an outdoor all-time best 20-11.75 to finish second in the long jump finals. In doing so, she added another eight points to the Lady Bulldogs' total.

In the women's 3000-meter steeplechase, freshman Cornelia Griesche posted a 10:30.43 to garner a fifth-place finish and earn four points for the women.

Finishing second in her heat and sixth overall, Jody-Ann Muir turned in a time of 53.17 in the women's 400-meter prelims to earn herself a spot in tomorrow's finals set for 4:10 p.m.

After advancing to the men's javelin finals, Piotr Antosik threw for a personal-best 224-00 to place fourth overall. His performance also picked up the first points for the Maroon and White, giving the Bulldogs five points.

To kick off the men's running events Saturday at Audrey J. Walton Stadium, distance veteran Juan Sanchez clocked a 3:51.75 in the men's 1500-meter run prelims. His time placed him sixth overall and qualified him for tomorrow's finals, which are scheduled for 3:20 p.m.

The MSU women will head into the final day of competition in sixth place with 20 points, while Dudley's men sit in 11th with five points.

For more information on this year's championships, follow the team on Twitter (@msutracksarah) and visit SECDigitalNetwork.com for the complete results and schedule.